Improvement in wire-stretchers



S. & R. TABER & C. M. MORGAN.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

No. 171,705. Patented Jan .4,1876.

WITNESSES "UNITED STATES SEMAN TABER, nussnn TABER, AN YGHABLESM. MORGAN, or HESPER,

IOWA, ASSIGNORS TO SEMAN TABER, DARIUS F. MORGAN,AND CHARLES.

M. MORGAN, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WlRE-STRETCHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 171,705, dated January 4, 1876 application filed I August 28, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that we, SEMAN TABER, RUS- SEL TABER, and CHARLES MARIoN MORGAN, of Hesper, in the county ofWinneshiek and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wire-Tightener, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a top view of our improved tightener, shown as applied to a wire, ready to tighten it. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, showing the wire tightened. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the wrench.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. 1

The object of our invention is to furnish an improved device for tightening wires that have been strung up, and especially fencewires, which shall be simple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, convenient in use, and efiective in operation, enabling the wire to be drawn tightly, and holding it securely.

The invention consists in the combination of the bar, made with a bend or offset, the pins or hooks, the pivoted hollow drum, slotted longitudinally, and having the alternate edges of its slots curved inward, the ratchetwheel, and the pawl, with each other; and in the wrench, constructed as described,-in combination with the drum of the tightening device, as hereinafter fully set forth.

A is a bar, to which, near one end, are attached two pins, B, which are so arranged that the wire to be tightened may pass between them both transversely and longitudinally with the bar A. One or both the pins B may be bent over laterally, so that the wire, when the bar A is turned longitudinally with it, cannot get out. The exact form of the pins B is immaterial, so long as they will allow the wire to be readily inserted between them, and will keep the bar in place upon said wire when turned longitudinally with it. To the other end of the bar A is pivoted a hollow drum, 0, the upper end of which is open, and which is slotted upon its opposite sides from its upper end to or nearly to its base. drum 0 are curved inward toward the center of said drum to form curved bearings for the wire when being tightened. Upon the base of the pivoted drum 0 is formed, or to it is at-.

tached, a ratchet-wheel, D, with the teeth of which engages the pawl E. The pawl E is pivoted to the bar A, which is made with a bend or offset, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the pawl E may not be in the'way of the wire, and so that the wire may pass straight from the pins B to the drum 0. F is a bar, upon one end of which is formed, or to it is rigidly attached, a projection, G, of such a size 'as to enter the cavity of the drum (1. In the sides of the projection G- are formed two or four grooves to receive the turned-in edges of the slots in the drum 0, so that it may serve as a wrench for turning the said drum Gto tighten the wire.

We prefer to make four grooves in the projection or head G of the wrench F G, as it enables said Wrench to be applied every quarter-revolution.

In using the tightener the bar A is held transversely with the wire to be tightened, the wire is passed between the pins B, the bar A is turned longitudinally with the wire, and the said wire is passed into the slot of the drum (3. The drum (J is then turned by means of the wrench F G a part of a rev-. olution, a Whole revolution, or more than a revolution, to give the desired tension to the Wire, the pawl E holding the drum 0 securely in any position into which it may be turned.

The hooks B and the friction of the wire upon the drum 0 hold the device securely upon the wire, and prevent it from becoming accidentally detached.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and ;-desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the bar A, made The alternate edges of the slots of the nally, and having the alternate edges of its slots curved inward, the rfitchet-wheel D,

i as herein shown and described.

in combination with the drum 0 of 'the de- 2 i i r 171,105

witha bend or ofl'set, the pins or books B, vice A B 0 DE,subs

tantiallyi es herein theipivoted hollow drum 0, slotted Iongitudishown and described. i 1 1 1 SEMANTABER. i 7 RUSSEL TABERE and the pawl E, with each other, substantially; CHARLES M. MORGAN Witnesses: t

ABBIEE. WILES, D. F. MORGAN. 1

2. The wrench F G, constructed as described, 

